White-crowned Sparrows Return to Regina

White-crowned Sparrows returned to our Regina backyard this weekend — a stop-over on their migration to their northern breeding grounds (Northern Saskatchewan, Yukon, etc.) from their winter patch in the southern U.S.

White-crowned Sparrow, hunting for seeds in my backyard.   © SB 

I love watching new native sparrows and song birds pass through! And I welcome these White-crowned Sparrows, with their crisp black and white head markings, and jittery way of jumping back and forth while foraging for seeds under the feeders.

(And the grass itself has just started to sprout; a week ago, we had snow drifts in our yard.)

What is this? White-crowned Sparrow.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: May 7, 2013.

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Hairy Woodpecker near Muenster, Saskatchewan

From the trees, knock-knock-knock. A large woodpecker with a beak about as long as its head. A Hairy Woodpecker this time, instead of a Downy.

It was a dull day, and the woodpecker kept in the shelter of the branches, foiling my attempts to focus my camera on it. Then that bird flew off, but when I walked on, I saw another Hairy Woodpecker that was slightly more willing to pose. (But only slightly.)

And yes, on the Saskatchewan prairies, we indeed have trees and forest bird species.

Hairy Woodpecker at work   © SB

What is this bird? A Hairy Woodpecker (female, from the lack of red nape spot, and Hairy — not Downy — from its size, its bill and the spur of black feathers at the side of its breast).

Location: Near Muenster, Saskatchewan. 

Photo dates:  March 1, 2013

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Downy Woodpecker: Flash of red and hollow knocking

Walking past a stand of trees this morning, I heard the characteristic woodpecker knock-knock-knock. I paused, walked back, and saw a Downy Woodpecker enthusiastically working his way up and down and around the low branches.

Male Downy Woodpecker with red flash  © Shelley Banks

Did he see me? I'd like to think so, because he certainly managed to find a continuous supply of twigs and stumps to hide behind — each time, just when I thought I had succeeded in framing the classic, full-length-with-checkered-feathers woodpecker shot with my camera.

And when not in hiding, this Downy moved at feather-blurring speed, rapidly bobbing his head as he rapped his beak into tasty spots on the bark. (There's even an after-image red halo behind his head, above.)

What is this bird? A male Downy Woodpecker (males are the ones with the red heads) 

Location: Near Muenster, Saskatchewan. 

Photo dates:  February 16, 2013

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Downy Woodpecker Drilling at my Window Ledge

A rat-tat-tat-tat from the window caught my attention. I looked up to see a Downy Woodpecker on the windowsill, his beak busy drilling at the ledge.

By the time I got outside to take his picture, he'd flown from the house to the crab apple, and then to the tree by the road.  (He = male = yes. You can tell by the red spot at the back of his head.) 

The Downy Woodpecker who was at
my home office window. © SB

Several weeks ago, I saw a female Downy Woodpecker, and had a slightly better chance to capture her feathers and markings.

Female Downy Woodpecker - no red spot.  ©  SB

What are these birds? Downy Woodpeckers

Location: Male: Front yard, Regina, Saskatchewan. Female: Wascana Park, Regina, Saskatchewan. 

Photo dates:  Male: July 26, 2012. Female: May 25, 2012. 

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Black and White Warblers: Willow Creepers

My latest warbler of the year is the Black and White Warbler, a tiny distinctive bird that creeps up, down and around the trunks of trees, foraging for insects. 

Again, I'd love to have a clearer shot of this guy, but he was either too watchful and shy, or too occupied by the bugs in the depths of crannies and on the backs of branches to wait for me to focus.  

Black and White Warbler pauses in his downward
feeding walk on this willow tree.  © SB

Upside down Black and White Warbler watches me. © SB

What is this?  Black and White Warbler  

Location: Les Sherman Park (west of Neil Balkwill Centre) Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 9, 2012.  

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